This invention relates to boats and more particularly to a sliding windshield for a boat which is integrated into a T-top of a boat.
Many boats, particularly fishing boats, are designed to have a central console at which a person stands or sits to operate the boat. In order to protect the operator and perhaps others on the boat from sun and other elements, many boats are provided with T-tops which have supports manufactured of aluminum or stainless steel tubing, piping and/or extrusions. The T-top is normally covered with canvas or a hard fiberglass top. A T-top may incorporate built-in features, such as additional dry storage, housing for electronics, fishing rod holders, antennas, speakers and so forth.
Many T-tops are open on the front and sides and thus, although allowing ventilation, such T-tops provide little protection from cold winds, wind driven rain, sea spray and so forth. Thus, windshields are often provided in the front and sides of such T-tops. Unfortunately, however, the windshields are usually fixed in position, thereby removing the ventilation which is desirable to boat operators and occupants, especially on hot summer days.
Thus a need exists for a windshield for a boat that will provide protection and ventilation to the extent desired by the operator and occupants.
The present invention fulfills this need by providing a windshield system which incorporates a window, preferably made of acrylic or tempered glass, mounted between two side supports having channels within which the window can be slid to a desired opened position. A clamping means, which may comprise two plates mounted on each side of the windshield tightenable by a rotary knob, can be used to lock the window in any desired position to yield the desired ventilation for the operator and occupants. The present invention eliminates the need for framed or unframed windshields that are currently mounted to center consoles.